Bowlers make it 2-0 for South Africa

They have done it again. The heavens have fallen again! Even Humpty Dumpty has not fallen from the wall on as many occasions and with such frequency as the Pakistani batting line-up! Pakistan capitulated yet again and from a position of relative strength, squandered the match and handed South Africa a 6 run win and with it a clean 2-0 sweep of the two-match T20I series. Skipper, Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla starred with the bat for the visitors before their bowlers, led by Wayne Parnell and Imran Tahir turned the screws on the Pakistani batsmen and restricted them to 144/9.

South Africa won the toss and elected to bat. They gave JP Duminy a much needed break and roped in Henry Davids in lieu of him. Pakistan made a change as well drafting in Nasir Jamshed in for Abdur Rehman. Quiton de Kock gave the Proteas a rollicking start. He assumed the role of the aggressor while Hashim Amla was content on playing second fiddle.

de Kock continued from where he had left in the last match and hammered Abdul Razzak for three boundaries in the second over of the innings. He was finding the gaps with ease and the boundaries were coming thick and fast before he holed out to deep-midwicket off Saeed Ajmal for 30 off 19 deliveries. The home team had moved to 44/1 after the powerplay.

Amla now changed gear and began to take a few more chances. He carved Shahid Afridi for two boundaries in the 8th. He was given a reprieve, when on 22, Afridi spilled a tough chance off his own bowling. Amla and du Plessis now cut loose and took the attack to the Pakistani spinners. Hafeez, Afridi, Ajmal and Malik, were all clubbed for a six each by the incumbent South Africa duo between overs 11-14. Ajmal picked up his 2nd when he saw the back of Amla for 48 off just 41 balls in the 15th. The visitors had raced to 115/2.

du Plessis marched on on his merry run and registered a fine fifty off just 40 balls. AB de Villiers and David Miller could not make much of an impact and fell cheaply. Pakistan did manage to beg things back to an extent at the death (last 5 overs, 35/3) but courtesy an unbeaten 48-ball 58 from their skipper, South Africa posted a competitive 150/5 off their allotted 20 overs.

Sohail Tanvir was the pick of the bowlers and picked up a couple of wickets conceding just 21 off his 4 overs. Hafeez was economical too giving away the same number of runs as the left-arm quickie off his full quota of overs. Ajmal took three wickets.

Dale Steyn started the proceedings with a maiden to Nasir Jamshed. The southpaw got going with two boundaries of Lonwabo Tsotsobe in the second over. Ahmed Shehzad wasn't to be left far behind and got stuck into the South African left-arm pacer picking him up for two fours to end the 4th over. Pakistan had raced to 39/0 after 5 before Wayne Parnell was introduced into the attack and gave the home team a double jolt. He sent Shehzad packing for 21 and then trapped the Pakistani skipper, Mohammad Hafeez leg before wicket for a golden luck. The latter was a touch unlucky as the ball was clearly drifting down the leg side. Pakistan had moved to 44/2 after the powerplay - the same score as South Africa but an extra wicket down after 6 overs.

Henry Davids dismissed Nasir Jamshed for 19 in the next and Pakistan were now in a little trouble at 46/3. Shoaib Malik and the impressive Sohaib Maqsood resurrected the innings. They picked up the ones and twos and rotated the strike well before Maqsood launched into Parnell, lofting him over extra cover for an exquisite six. Malik retired hurt for 13 after a blow on his fingers from a bouncer by Parnell. At the half-way stage, the hosts had moved to 75/3.

Maqsood kept up the momentum and found an able partner in Umar Akmal. The pair brought up the team's hundred in the 14th over before Ryan McLaren got rid of the Pakistani keeper for 11. Pakistan required 46 off the last 6 overs.

And then came the GREAT PAKISTAN COLLAPSE, ONCE AGAIN - FOR THE Nth TIME! Imran Tahir castled Malik and Razzak off successive deliveries to end the 15th before Parnell returned to pick up his third getting rid of the last hope for Pakistan, Sohaib Maqsood, for 37 off 26 balls. Pakistan had lost three wickets in three balls! The match had turned on its head. The home side were now reeling at 115/7 after 16 overs.

Dale Steyn cleaned up Sohail Tanvir for 6 to leave Pakistan in the doldrums at 121/8 in the 17th. Afridi gave Pakistan late hope. He heaved Mclaren for a six in the 18th. Pakistan needed 14 off the last 2 overs. But Afridi's honeymoon was short-lived as the man on a mission, Steyn, sent him packing in the next, courtesy a brilliant catch by du Plessis at covers. The hosts needed 10 off the last over but could only muster 3 and lost by 6 runs. Wayne Parnell was the pick of the South African bowlers and was rewarded with 3 wickets for his efforts. Steyn and Tahir chipped in with a couple each. South Africa moved to number 2 in the T20I rankings.